Old people's day centre hit by £40,000 budget cut

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A day centre for frail elderly people is facing a struggle for survival after a massive cut in its council funding.

Over Day Centre looks after old folk every day from a number of villages, including Willingham, Bar Hill, Swavesey and Cottenham as well as Over.

They get a freshly cooked hot lunch, can have a bath, and can take part in a wide range of activities, as well as enjoy trips out together.

It costs £155,000 a year to keep the centre open, and money comes from charging people who attend £15 a day, but this does not cover the full cost of the services they get. Volunteers stage fundraising events to boost the total, and until now Cambridgeshire County Council has been funding up to 40 places a week on a £53,000 a year contract basis.

However, the council has now decided it will cut that sum to £13,251, which will only fund 10 places. The council says the money has been cut because 'demand has fallen', and fewer people are making use of the day provision.

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Shona Johnstone, who has been on the day centre committee for more than 20 years, said: "The centre was set up in 1998 with the aim of caring for frail and elderly people in Over and the surrounding villages.

"Initially occupying a portable building in the car park of the GP surgery, a lottery grant in 2001 enabled us to build a dedicated centre adjacent to the surgery as part of an adjoining sheltered housing complex. The current centre includes a large open-plan room for activities and meals, kitchen, office space, a specially equipped bathroom and hairdressing salon.

"The centre can take up to 30 clients daily. It provides morning refreshments and a two-course freshly cooked hot lunch. This means that clients do not need to cook for themselves at home if they find this difficult. We provide a range of activities such as music sessions with a qualified music therapist and craft activities."

She said using the centre allowed people to stay in their own homes, rather than having to go into residential care.

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She said: "The NHS and social services are facing major financial challenges in trying to do more for less funding cuts. Over Day Centre offers a service that has the potential to help them do that. Older people invariably express the wish to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and this is reflected in the county council's expressed objective to keep people safe in their own homes for as long as possible.

"Working with the centre they can reduce the need for expensive residential care home places and reduce bed blocking.

"We're not blaming the council, but it does seem to be false economy. Our current contract is for £53,000 a year which is roughly what a place in a care home costs."

She added: "We will not close, we will work as hard as we can to keep things going. We rely heavily on volunteers, both to raise funds and to help in the day centre. We hold a number of major fundraising events each year, and we also have many volunteers at the centre, undertaking tasks such as helping in the kitchen or driving the minibus."

A council spokesman said: “The council has a long, productive and valued relationship with Over Day Centre and we are keen for this to continue. It is a very valuable source of support for many people and their carers. However, in recent years we have seen a significant reduction in demand from local residents eligible for social care support.

"The council has been paying for 40 places per week but has seen demand reduce to just 10 places. This is largely because there are now new models of care that enable service users to use the available support more flexibly. In order to avoid de-stabilising the service, we have been in discussion with the trustees of the centre since last summer to explore ways to manage the withdrawal of funds from day centre places while avoiding financial difficulties for the centre.”